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الْإِفْتَاءُ بِالضَّعِيفِ · al-Ifta' wa al-Qada' bi'l-Da'if
الْحَاكِمُ الْمُجْتَهِدُ · The Mujtahid Qadi
[النَّصُّ] إِنْ كَانَ الْحَاكِمُ مُجْتَهِدًا، فَلَا يَجُوزُ لَهُ أَنْ يَحْكُمَ وَيُفْتِيَ إِلَّا بِالرَّاجِحِ عِنْدَهُ
- If the qadi is a mujtahid, he may only rule and issue fatwa with what is rajih in his view
[الْقَائِلُ] الْعَلَّامَةُ قَاسِمٌ، نَقَلَهُ ابْنُ عَابِدِينَ، ص ١٨٣
- al-ʿAllama Qasim (Qasim b. Qutlubugha, d. 879H), cited by Ibn ʿAbidin, p. 183
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الْحَاكِمُ الْمُقَلِّدُ · The Muqallid Qadi
[النَّصُّ] إِنْ كَانَ مُقَلِّدًا، جَازَ لَهُ أَنْ يُفْتِيَ بِالْمَشْهُورِ فِي مَذْهَبِهِ وَأَنْ يَحْكُمَ بِهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَاجِحًا عِنْدَهُ — مُقَلِّدًا فِي رُجْحَانِ الْمَحْكُومِ بِهِ إِمَامَهُ الَّذِي يُقَلِّدُهُ كَمَا يُقَلِّدُهُ فِي الْفَتْوَى
- If he is a muqallid, he may issue fatwa and rule with what is famous in his madhhab, even if not rajih to him; taqlid in the rajihness of the ruling, following his imam, just as he follows him in fatwa
📖 مَوْضِعٌ ص ١٨٣ — p. 183
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اِتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى حَرَامٌ · Following Whim is Haram by Ijma'
[النَّصُّ] أَمَّا اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى فِي الْحُكْمِ وَالْفُتْيَا فَحَرَامٌ إِجْمَاعًا. وَأَمَّا الْحُكْمُ وَالْفُتْيَا بِمَا هُوَ مَرْجُوحٌ فَخِلَافُ الْإِجْمَاعِ
- Following whim in ruling and fatwa is haram by ijmaʿ. Ruling and issuing fatwa with the marjuh is contrary to ijmaʿ
[الْقَائِلُ] الْعَلَّامَةُ قَاسِمٌ، ص ١٨٣
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الْعَمَلُ لِلنَّفْسِ بِخِلَافِ الْفَتْوَى · Acting for Oneself by a View Outside the Madhhab
[النَّصُّ] يَجُوزُ لِلْمُجْتَهِدِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ عَلَى مَا أَدَّى إِلَيْهِ اجْتِهَادُهُ وَلَوْ كَانَ مُخَالِفًا لِمَذْهَبِهِ — وَلِذَا اخْتَارَ الْمُحَقِّقُ ابْنُ الْهُمَامِ مَسَائِلَ خَارِجَةً عَنِ الْمَذْهَبِ
- A mujtahid may act for himself by what his ijtihad reaches, even if it differs from his madhhab; and so al-Muhaqqiq Ibn al-Humam chose positions outside the madhhab
📖 الْمَصْدَرُ خَزَانَةُ الرِّوَايَاتِ، نَقَلَهُ ابْنُ عَابِدِينَ، ص ١٨٣ — Khazanat al-Riwayat, cited by Ibn ʿAbidin, p. 183
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مَا يُعْلَمُ وَلَا يُفْتَى بِهِ · What is Known but Not Given as Fatwa (Prudential Withholding)
[النَّصُّ] إِذَا زَرَعَ صَاحِبُ الْأَرْضِ أَرْضَهُ مَا هُوَ أَدْنَى مَعَ قُدْرَتِهِ عَلَى الْأَعْلَى، وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ خَرَاجُ الْأَعْلَى. قَالُوا: "وَهَذَا يُعْلَمُ وَلَا يُفْتَى بِهِ، كَيْلَا يَتَجَرَّأَ الظَّلَمَةُ عَلَى أَخْذِ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ"
- If a landowner plants a lower-yield crop while able to plant a higher-yield one, the higher kharaj is owed. They said: "This is known but not given as fatwa, lest oppressors be emboldened to seize people's property"
📖 مَوْضِعٌ ص ١٧٢ — p. 172
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تَعْرِيفُ الْعُرْفِ وَالْعَادَةِ، وَقَاعِدَةُ "الْعَادَةُ مُحَكَّمَةٌ" · Defining 'Urf and 'Ada, and the Maxim "Custom Is Given Judging Authority"
[النَّصُّ] الْعُرْفُ فِي اللُّغَةِ: الشَّيْءُ الْمَعْرُوفُ الْمَأْلُوفُ الْمُسْتَحْسَنُ، وَفِي الِاصْطِلَاحِ: مَا اعْتَادَهُ النَّاسُ وَسَارَعُوا إِلَيْهِ مِنْ كُلِّ فِعْلٍ شَاعَ بَيْنَهُمْ، أَوْ لَفْظٍ تَعَارَفُوا إِطْلَاقَهُ عَلَى مَعْنًى خَاصٍّ؛ وَالْعَادَةُ: الْأَمْرُ الْمُتَكَرِّرُ مِنْ غَيْرِ عَلَاقَةٍ عَقْلِيَّةٍ
- Linguistically, 'urf means something known, familiar, and regarded as good; technically, it is whatever people have grown accustomed to and readily adopt — any widespread act, or a term mutually agreed to carry a specific meaning. Al-'ada (habit) is defined separately as whatever recurs without a strictly logical/necessary connection behind the repetition (unlike, say, a ring moving whenever the finger wearing it moves, which is a necessary correlation, not a mere habit)
[مَعْنًى] كُلُّ عُرْفٍ عَادَةٌ وَلَا عَكْسَ؛ فَالْعُرْفُ خَاصٌّ بِالْعَادَةِ الِاجْتِمَاعِيَّةِ، وَالْعَادَةُ أَعَمُّ (تَشْمَلُ حَتَّى مَا لَيْسَ اجْتِمَاعِيًّا كَتَأْثِيرِ الْمُنَاخِ فِي سِنِّ الْبُلُوغِ)
- Every 'urf is an 'ada, but not every 'ada is an 'urf: 'urf is specifically social custom, while 'ada is broader, covering even non-social recurring patterns such as climate affecting the onset of puberty
[الْقَاعِدَةُ] الْعَادَةُ مُحَكَّمَةٌ؛ أَيْ تُجْعَلُ حَكَمًا لِإِثْبَاتِ حُكْمٍ شَرْعِيٍّ، فَهِيَ الْمَرْجِعُ عِنْدَ النِّزَاعِ
- The famous fiqh maxim "custom is given judging authority": established custom can itself be made the basis for a Shari'ah ruling, becoming the reference point whenever a dispute arises
📖 مَوْضِعٌ ص ١٧٤-١٧٥ — pp. 174-175
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عُرْفٌ عَامٌّ وَعُرْفٌ خَاصٌّ · General Custom vs Specific Custom
[النَّصُّ] ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْعُرْفَ قِسْمَانِ: عَامٌّ وَخَاصٌّ، فَالْعَامُّ يَثْبُتُ بِهِ الْحُكْمُ الْعَامُّ وَيَصْلُحُ مُخَصِّصًا لِلْقِيَاسِ وَالْأَثَرِ، بِخِلَافِ الْخَاصِّ فَإِنَّهُ يَثْبُتُ بِهِ الْحُكْمُ الْخَاصُّ مَا لَمْ يُخَالِفِ الْقِيَاسَ أَوِ الْأَثَرَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَصْلُحُ مُخَصِّصًا
- Know also that custom (ʿurf) is of two kinds, general and specific. A general custom establishes a general ruling, and can even qualify (specify) qiyas and precedent. A specific custom is different: it only establishes a specific ruling, so long as it does not contradict qiyas or precedent; where it does, it cannot qualify them
📖 مَوْضِعٌ (طَبَعَةُ اسْطَنْبُول ١٣٢٥هـ، شَامِلَة رَقْم ١٦٠٦)، ص ٤٧؛ وَبِتَفْصِيلٍ أَوْسَعَ (طَبَعَةُ الرَّشِيدِ، كَرَاتْشِي، بِحَاشِيَةِ أَبِي لُبَابَةَ)، ص ١٩٢ — Istanbul print 1325H (Shamela #1606), p. 47; fuller treatment in the al-Rashid Trust Karachi print, Abu Lubaba hashiya ed., p. 192
[أَمْثِلَةٌ] الْعُرْفُ الْعَامُّ: كَتَعَارُفِهِمْ عَقْدَ الِاسْتِصْنَاعِ، وَاسْتِعْمَالِ لَفْظِ "الْحَرَامِ" بِمَعْنَى الطَّلَاقِ، وَدُخُولِ الْحَمَّامِ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَقْدِيرِ مُدَّةِ الْمُكْثِ فِيهِ. وَالْعُرْفُ الْخَاصُّ: كَعُرْفِ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ فِي إِطْلَاقِ الدَّابَّةِ عَلَى الْفَرَسِ، وَبَيْعِ بَعْضِ الْفَوَاكِهِ وَزْنًا وَعَدًّا فِي بَعْضِ الْبِلَادِ دُونَ بَعْضٍ، وَاشْتِرَاطِ تَعْجِيلِ الْمَهْرِ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَقَالِيمِ وَعَدَمِ اشْتِرَاطِهِ فِي بَعْضِهَا
- Examples of general custom: people's common practice of the istisna' contract (commissioned manufacture, even though the item doesn't exist yet), using the word "haram" to mean divorce, or entering a public bath without fixing how long one may stay. Examples of specific custom: the people of Iraq's usage of "dabba" (mount) to mean specifically a horse, selling certain fruits by weight in some lands and by count in others, or requiring the dower to be paid up front in some regions but not others
[الْحُكْمُ] فَالْعَامُّ يَثْبُتُ حُكْمُهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْبِلَادِ، وَالْخَاصُّ يَثْبُتُ حُكْمُهُ عَلَى بَلْدَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَقَطْ
- A general custom's ruling holds across all lands; a specific custom's ruling holds only in the one town where it is practiced
[بَابَانِ] إِذَا خَالَفَ الْعُرْفُ الدَّلِيلَ الشَّرْعِيَّ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ (كَتَعَارُفِ النَّاسِ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الرِّبَا وَشُرْبِ الْخَمْرِ وَلُبْسِ الْحَرِيرِ وَالذَّهَبِ) فَلَا اعْتِبَارَ لَهُ أَصْلًا وَإِنْ فَشَا. وَإِنْ خَالَفَهُ فِي بَعْضِ أَفْرَادِهِ وَكَانَ الدَّلِيلُ قِيَاسًا، فَالْعُرْفُ الْعَامُّ الْمُعْتَبَرُ يَصْلُحُ مُخَصِّصًا لِلْقِيَاسِ، وَالْعُرْفُ الْخَاصُّ لَا يُعْتَبَرُ إِلَّا فِيمَا لَا يُعَارِضُ الْقِيَاسَ
- Two cases: if custom conflicts totally with an explicit shar'i text (as with people normalizing riba, wine-drinking, or wearing silk and gold), it is never given any weight no matter how widespread. If it conflicts only in some particular instances and the underlying evidence is qiyas (not an explicit text), a valid general custom CAN qualify and set aside the qiyas, while a specific custom is only considered where it does not conflict with the qiyas at all
📖 مَوْضِعٌ (طَبَعَةُ الرَّشِيدِ، كَرَاتْشِي، بِحَاشِيَةِ أَبِي لُبَابَةَ)، ص ١٩٢-١٩٣ — al-Rashid Trust print, Karachi, Abu Lubaba hashiya ed., pp. 192-193
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خُلَاصَةُ أَبِي لُبَابَةَ: صُورَتَا الْجَوَازِ، وَصُورَةٌ لِلْفَتْوَى، وَمَنْعُ الْقَضَاءِ مُطْلَقًا · Two Cases Permit Personal Action, One Permits Fatwa, None Permits a Judge's Ruling
[مَعْنًى] الْعَمَلُ بِالضَّعِيفِ يَجُوزُ فِي صُورَتَيْنِ: لِلْمُضْطَرِّ، وَلِلْمُجْتَهِدِ فِي الْمَذْهَبِ إِذَا أَدَّى اجْتِهَادُهُ إِلَى قُوَّةِ الْقَوْلِ الضَّعِيفِ؛ وَالْإِفْتَاءُ لَا يَجُوزُ بِهِ إِلَّا فِي صُورَةِ الِاضْطِرَارِ وَحْدَهَا؛ وَأَمَّا الْقَضَاءُ بِالضَّعِيفِ فَلَا يَجُوزُ مُطْلَقًا، وَإِنْ قَضَى بِهِ الْقَاضِي لَمْ يُمْضَ حُكْمُهُ
- Editor's summary: acting on the weak opinion personally is permitted in two cases only — genuine necessity, or a mujtahid within the madhhab whose own ijtihad concludes the weak opinion is actually the stronger one. Giving FATWA on it is permitted in the single case of necessity alone. A judge ruling by it is never permitted at all — and if he does so anyway, that ruling is not enforced
[الْخِلَافُ الْمَذْهَبِيُّ] السُّبْكِيُّ (شَافِعِيٌّ): يَجُوزُ تَقْلِيدُ الضَّعِيفِ لِنَفْسِهِ فِي عَمَلِهِ الْخَاصِّ، لَا فِي الْفَتْوَى وَلَا الْحُكْمِ. الشُّرُنْبُلَالِيُّ: مَذْهَبُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ أَشَدُّ: مَنْعُ الْعَمَلِ بِالْمَرْجُوحِ حَتَّى لِنَفْسِهِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَرْجُوحَ صَارَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمَنْسُوخِ
- The real madhhab split: al-Subki (Shafi'i) permits following the weak view for one's own private action, just not for fatwa or judgment; al-Shurunbulali (d. 1069H) reports the Hanafi position is stricter still — even a person's own private action on the weaker view is barred, since the weaker view is effectively treated as abrogated
📖 مَوْضِعٌ ص ١٩٧-١٩٩ — pp. 197-199
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شُرُوطُ الْإِفْتَاءِ بِالضَّعِيفِ · When a Weak View May Be Used (Taqī ʿUthmānī)
[مَعْنًى] Acting on a weak (ḍaʿīf, ضعيف) or outweighed (marjūḥ, مرجوح) report is allowed in only two cases. One: real necessity (ḍarūra, ضرورة) or severe hardship. Two: the muftī has partial ijtihād in the madhhab and finds that report's proof stronger. Outside these two, fatwa on the marjūḥ is against ijmāʿ.
📘 التقي العثماني، أصول الإفتاء وآدابه، ص ٢٣٦
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